DD feel the heat of KP’s absence

Without a single win this season, the Delhi Daredevils are feeling the heat ahead of their seventh game, this time against the powerful Mumbai Indians. With their top stars flopping and the team hitting the ebb, they admit they are missing Kevin Pietersen. Khurram Habib reports. Today's action | Face off

Without a single win this season, the Delhi Daredevils are feeling the heat ahead of their seventh game, this time against the powerful Mumbai Indians. With their top stars flopping and the team hitting the ebb, they admit they are missing Kevin Pietersen.

Johan Botha, the South African spinner, agreed although he didn’t lay the blame squarely on the England cricketer’s absence.

"I wouldn’t just point it to one man, we still have some really good other international and Indian players who haven’t just fired yet. KP was the one who put the foot down and took the team forward."

Of the failures, he was probably referring to the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Irfan Pathan and Virender Sehwag. Sehwag though had a prolonged session at the nets on Saturday morning.

Opening concernsMumbai Indians’ biggest concern will be the opening pair. Both Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar haven’t clicked — the two didn’t bat at the nets on Saturday and while Ponting was missing, Tendulkar was there on the field. Barring that, their batting is clicking what with Dinesh Karthik performing well at No. 3.“It helps when you bat at No 3. Not only because of the number of balls you face but also with the quantum of runs that you can score," he said.

MI look the overwhelming favourites and such are the riches that they cannot find a place to slot in this year’s most expensive buy, Glenn Maxwell.